Whitening tips for a tan
It is fun to travel to different places in sunny days, however, too much exposure under the sun can cause a tan and sunburn, even if you use a lot of sunscreens. No worry, with some whitening tips, you’ll get rid of a tan more quickly and safely.
Exfoliation
The tan forms when your skin cells receive too much radiation. To whiten the skin, the most common way is exfoliation, which is to peel off the pigmented dead skin cells on the outer layer. There’re two ways to do this.
- Chemical exfoliator: chemical exfoliators that contain alpha and beta hydroxy acids can help dissolve the dead skin cells.
- Washcloths or sponges: gently scrubbing your skin with washcloths or sponges works as well.
Exfoliation is useful, but never overuse it, or your skin may get damaged the second time. After exfoliation, apply some moisturizer to soften the skin, for example, aloe vera.
Whitening products
Using skin-whitening products is another helpful technique. When purchasing, make sure the product contains ingredients like vitamin C, azelaic acid, kojic acid, glycolic acid, and azelaic acid. These elements can restrain the production of melanin, the culprit of suntan, and help boost the growth of new skin cells.
What to avoid
Lemon juice: mentioning skin whitening, the most frequently discussed product maybe lemon juice. However, you should never use it until you dilute it, or its citric acid can cause irritation to your skin.
Bleaching products: some people may also choose skin bleaching products to remove suntan, but be careful also because it will irritate your skin and affect normal pigmentation as well.
How about self-tanning?
Not all tanning is unacceptable, of course. Sometimes people may like to do self-tanning at home. But things can happen that streaking or tan buildup forms after self-tanning. To solve this, just have a quick bath right away, using soap to help scrub the excess product. Alternatively, use the paste made from baking soda and water to reduce the streaking. Work in a circular motion in case of unwanted irritation.
Summary
Exfoliation is the most recommended way to get rid of tan, and some home remedies also help. However, the best solution is precaution before all this happens. Always apply sunscreen when going out, and use physical sun protection like an umbrella and sun protection clothing.